


BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU

by WithFlowerAndBlood



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Almost Kiss, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute, Cute Max Lightwood-Bane, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, I think?, Jace Wayland Is A Little Shit, Kissing, M/M, MUST PROTECC, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Max is a soft babie, Middle school crush to lovers, Mutual Pining, Sexual Tension, Single Parent Alec Lightwood, Swimming, Tooth Rotting Fluff, Yeah a lot of those, also, and max is there what else do you expect, beta by gdoc lmao, but ig it turned out good?, i totally didnt plan this, it's better they work on it soon, raphael santiago is a little shit too, they are both so fucking cute, they are both thirsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WithFlowerAndBlood/pseuds/WithFlowerAndBlood
Summary: Alec lightwood, a single father, signs up for one of those parent-baby swimming lessons with his toddler Max and Magnus is the really hot instructor. How did that go?
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 12
Kudos: 98





	BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flautodipan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flautodipan/gifts).



> for Giulia. Happy soulmate anniversary (is that even a thing?)  
> Cheers to our duet fanfiction reading sessions, cheers to our year-long soulmateship, cheers to malec, cheers to us.  
> this is literally the smallest thing I could do. hope you would like it xoxo

It starts like this.  


Alec, Max’s dad, always on the internet with his perfectionist ass looking for ways to become the best father for his child, finds his brain clogged up with information on how it’s absolutely necessary for his toddler to get basic water survival skills and signs up for one of those parent and baby swimming lessons.

No. It starts like _this_.  


Alec, a single father, signs up for one of those parent and baby swimming lessons and as it turned out, Magnus, his long lost only-if-I-had-the-courage-no-I-mean-the-audacity middle school crush, is the really hot instructor.  


And as usual, the-always-charming-oh-so-sexy Magnus is even good with _kids_. Like we-are-not-going down-in-water-if-no-Magnus good. The kids love him.  


And Alec, like the sucker that he is (he really thought he got better after these many years but look who is facepalming now) finds himself getting so distracted that he keeps forgetting what he is meant to do and yeah it seems like Magnus really needs to give him some extra attention.

So he does.  
And none has to know if Alec leaves his workplace thirty minutes early so that he could pick Max up from home to his swimming class and spend more time with Magnus, because you see, he really needs the _extra assistance_!!  


Magnus, however, would be lying if he says Max’s father doesn’t look like one of his very handsome and sweet school juniors, but he is a busy man and remembering faces from decades ago really takes up a lot of brain space- so he doesn’t try much.

So this continues. 

Alec, like the father that he is, always wears his waterproof rash vest to classes and makes max wear one too, because Helloo!!! Pneumonia!! Is!! Real!! 

One day in a hurry, he forgets to take his vest with him and ends up bare chest in the water. And boy oh boy! Shirtless Alec, in all his glory, playing in the water with his ever smiling toddler- that scene short-circuits Magnus’ brain so bad, he ends up not being able to talk to Alec without stumbling upon his words for the rest of the afternoon. Alec _does_ notice, not gonna lie, but come on!! It’s Magnus!! Obviously his eyes are playing with him.

One time, the office keeps Alec stuck overtime and Jace takes his beloved nephew to his class and comes back with a smirk.  


No, _the smirk_.

“Alec? I left the same time as you do but apparently it was too early?” 

Alec thinks of strangling his brother in his sleep but okay he is his brother he can’t do that, so he ignores eye contact and tries, “m...maybe they started late today...You know… Ah...hah these classes, they really don’t maintain schedules,”

But “Oh! They were expecting you, by the way,” throws Jace, as if he doesn’t even hear Alec, “and the instructor- what was the name? Magnus? he is really gorgeous…and I think…”  
Jace doesn't finish but surely he loves his life and runs.  
Somehow, Izzy calls him the next day and starts with “Hello! Big brother! So I heard about my brother being awestruck at some fancy swim instructor and you didn’t even tell me…” Alec does the biggest eye-roll he could manage and puts his phone down without even cutting the call. Maybe Alec really should strangle Jace in sleep.

So this continues too. Months of mutual pining and sexual tension and glaring at other parents or staffs when they try to flirt with one or the other.  
(does that Camille person really need to smile like that whenever Magnus asks for some help? No. But does that Raj guy need to stick so close to Alec whenever they are talking? Hell no.)

Then one day, Magnus is absent and some new instructor called Raphael takes their class. He is pretty good with kids too and the kids actually get down into the water with him. But not Max. Max is his father’s son and screams his lungs out for his favourite instructor. They come back home, and if Alec feels a little mushy in his heart, no one needs to know. 

Next week when Magnus comes back, Max beams and screams “favouriiiiite!!!!” before springing himself at Magnus and the way Magnus smiles and whispers, “you’re my favourite too” in Max’s ears- it makes Alec think of going to his knees in front of Magnus then and there.  


But he doesn’t. It’s Magnus!! Magnus won’t even accept and he would lose the smallest haven he has found in these classes.  
No need at all.  


So, he stands there and lets _his two favourites_ talk.  


And then as he listens more, “but you’ll need to like others too, Max. Soon, I won’t be taking the class with you anymore,”

Alec feels lost, “what do you mean?” he says, confused.  
“Well, soon the course will be over and Max can move to the next level,” Magnus goes on, “I don’t take those classes. Raphael does, on the days I stay busy at the bar.”  


“Oh”. There is one more week and then he might not even see Magnus anymore, Alec realizes and it kind of breaks him.  


“Haha... yeah… so…” tries Magnus and it silences down again.

Alec tries to open his mouth to say something but Magnus starts talking again, “but don’t worry. Raphael is really nice. And he is a good instructor. For swimming, I mean. And he is sort of… good looki-”

“ASK HIM OUT ON A DATE ALREADY FOR THE SAKE OF MY AND OTHERS SANITY!!” - it’s Raphael, shouting his heads out from the other side of the pool, exasperatedly, through his megaphone. 

Magnus flushes, visibly. “Oh Goodness gracious-” he puts his head down, closes his eyes and whispers. Then he starts walking towards Raphael, “RAPHAEL!! WHY WOULD YOU EMB-”  


“I WASN’T TALKING TO YOU”  


Magnus halts. “What-”  
Alec heads towards Magnus.  
“Why would you think he was talking to you?”  
“What does he mean he wasn’t talking to me?”  
They say at the same time.

Alec blinks. 

“Because I like you! _Obviously!_ ”, Magnus shouts, his eyes wide open.  
“Obviously?”  
Is this Alec’s dream?  
“Yeaaah…?”  
Yes. Alec’s asleep. That’s for sure. It’s Magnus!! Magnus can’t like him!! Magnus didn’t even say more than thank you back when Alec brought him seashells for his hair accessories in middle school. Magnus! Just! Can! Not! Like! Him! 

Alec is unable to think anymore. Was he ever born with a brain though?

“But why would he say-” Magnus starts again, dumbfounded.  
“Because I like you, too, _obviously!_ ” Alec throws his own words at him before he can process what he is doing.

And before they both can process what is happening, Max repeats “obviiiouslyyyyy” in his babie voice without even understanding what exactly that means. 

All of it makes Alec laugh a little. And then he rolls his eyes looking at Magnus.  
Magnus smiles at him softly and oh no is that tears in his kohl-lined eyes? 

“So, umm, Magnus Bane, would like to go on a date with me?” Alec asks because if he thinks any more he would probably die before he does anything about it.  
“I would love to, Alexander,” Magnus says and leans closer.  
Alec’s non-existent brain lights up with 'how come Magnus even knows my full name' (or does he remember? No he doesn’t!! It’s Magnus!!) and stops working the next moment with Magnus’ proximity and Alec thinks he should lean in too-  


but then Raphael speaks up, “YOUR CLASS WAS MEANT TO START FIVE MINUTES AGO”  


It is Magnus, who rolls his eyes this time. “Later”, he promises, looking at Alec's lips.  
“Later”, agrees Alec.

(If, during the class, Magnus gives a smug look at Raj and Alec at Camille, you totally didn't notice)

Later that night, after lots and lots of kissing at Magnus’ bar, Magnus comes up to his loft (Alec left because Max couldn’t sleep and Jace called) and takes out old boxes of his rings and necklaces and hair accessories. If he spends a little too much time looking at the almost paled and nearly brittle seashells- Alec really doesn’t need to know.  


Or maybe he does. Later.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading. mistakes are all mine. I got this prompt on twitter but I can't find the link anymore.


End file.
